Marketing - Working In-House V Agency

 Perhaps, at some point in your marketing career, you may find yourself at a bit of a fork in the road. You know it’s time for a career move – but you don’t know where. Do you go in-house and work specifically for one business or do you join an agency and take on a portfolio of clients? There are many pros and cons to each option – sometimes it just boils down to the type of work you prefer to get involved in and what type of culture makes you tick. Here, I’ve outlined some of the benefits of working in either sector to help you work out which suits you and your career aspirations best. Working In-House If you choose to work in-house – in any industry – one of the most obvious benefits is how bonded you will be to one specific company. You will get to know your company inside out – learning when the busy times of year are; which marketing materials customers respond to; how each business function operates. In working across all areas of a business, chances are you’ll get a better understanding of the “bigger picture” and feel more bonded to your colleagues. Whether you work solo or as part of a small team, you’ll find it easier to take control of the narrative and become the “voice” of the brand. You will be involved in – or may well be solely responsible for – the marketing strategy and decisions surround technology and platforms. This can be particularly helpful if you are ambitious and are seeking out career progression – you can demonstrate the impact that you have made to the business. You are also more likely to be exposed to a broader spectrum of marketing activities as you may well be expected to pick up tasks as diverse as producing copy for social media to organising events. Working for an Agency If you choose to work with an agency, straight away you’ll find yourself surrounded by fellow creatives and marketers – great for bouncing ideas around. Agencies are often lively, fast-paced environments that are driven by deadlines and client requests. When you work within an agency, you’ll have the chance to grow and develop your client portfolio – meaning you will get to work with a diverse range of industries and business sizes. This is great if you enjoy variety and like the challenge of getting to grips with how different sectors operate. Chances are, you’ll get to work with brands that are household names; quirky start ups; those with passionate causes behind them. You’ll also be exposed to a lot of networking and face time with your clients. Larger agencies can also offer you the chance to get to grips with more advanced marketing technology and can perhaps offer more in the way of hands-on training. You’ll also have specific tasks to focus on – say PR or graphic design – as opposed to in-house, where you may have to cover off everything. This way, you can really focus on something you excel at and are passionate about. I am delighted to be currently recruiting marketing roles across Scotland and beyond – helping you take the first steps in your marketing career or simply to find the “right fit” for you. Click here to drop me an email to find out how I can help.